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NILES — Daysha Amster loves to dance and loves to connect with others as she does it.

Offering fitness classes is something she has done for the past two years. Now, Amster is hosting her pop-up studio, “Body Movement Fitness,” at the Niles Impact Community Center, located at 603 N. Second St. in Niles.

She hopes the space allows for her fitness class community to continue to come together and enjoy themselves while maintaining and improving their health.

“When I started doing Zumba and classes at the YMCA, it spoke to me and brought dance back into my life,” Amster said. “It brought me a bunch of joy. Even if it helps just a handful of people, we’d smile and have fun and laugh and sing. We need something like that right now.”

Now, as protocols and class sizes shift, Amster has found a space to host classes, along with another instructor, Lindsey Middleton.

Amster teaches Zumba, WERQ, yoga and Pound classes. Middleton leads WERQ classes.

Amster describes Zumba as an international dance class, whereas WERQ is dance set to hip-hop and pop music. Pound is a drumming class, where the sticks are props to drum the air.

“[Pound] is different,” Amster said. “Dancers like it, but people who don’t dance also like it.”

Amster brings 16 years of dance experience to her fitness classes, and she has modifications for every level, including those brand new to working out.

“There are three levels to anything you can do,” Amster said. “For instance, if I’m doing a hop, you can walk, you can hop, or you can really get up in the air if you want to. You have different levels. Just depending on what you’re doing, you can exert yourself as hard as you like.”

Amster is eager to hop up and demonstrate ways to alter moves.

For this reason, she recommends anyone curious about Body Movement Fitness classes to take an in-person class first. The studio is offering virtual classes over the Zoom format, but Amster said she and Middleton can help adjust the class to the levels of attendees better if they are in the same area.

Taking precautions for in-person, indoor classes, the space can host about 12 attendees safely for fitness classes.

“Students wear their mask until they get to their space,” Amster said. “They stay 6 feet apart and then they can take the mask off.”

She said when dancers are exerting themselves at higher heart rate levels, wearing a mask is not safe. She recommended wearing a face shield to the class, as it would serve as a barrier but also allow students to breathe.

“It’s healthy to move,” Amster said. “I would like to see everyone staying 6 feet apart, and wearing the mask until they can’t anymore. Immediately after class, put the mask back on, and we’ll sanitize everything.”

The classes hosted by Amster and Middleton for Body Movement Fitness are offered in the morning every day of the week except for Wednesdays. In-person classes are $5 to attend. Virtual classes require students to register to participate and are offered on a donation basis.

On Saturday and Sunday, Body Movement Fitness is hosting its grand opening. On Saturday, the studio will host a WERQ class at 10 a.m. and yoga at 11 a.m.  On Sunday, the studio will be hosting Zumba at 11 a.m.

More information on classes may be found on the Body Movement Fitness Facebook page, or by contacting Amster at Daysha@gmail.com.